My MIL appears to be a wonderful, sweet woman. My sister in law and I have seen a different side of her and I have tried to tell my husband in a nice way. He doesn't seem to realize how much her behavior affects me. We have gone four years in a row for a week in the summer to her timeshare with her. She wants us to provide the food, prepare it and cook it. We have four children while her other two sons have two and three kids each. My husband says we should be thankful that we have a place that is free to go to. I agree, one or two times yes. We are expected every year, to travel, pay for the food, prepare, she doesn't even help with her grandkids. I could go on and on! Ugh.....

Your Response

tell her you heard this from a florida boy. it gets so HOT and HUMID down here in florida in the summer, you don't even want to go outside. and it rains every day. if you want to come down here when it's a true paradise, october and november are florida's best kept secret.

Your Response

Suggest to your husband that you and the kids do something different this year. If you guys can afford to feed all those people, surely, you can afford an alternative vacation minus MIL, BILs and their wives and kids. Yea, a free trip is cool and all but at the expense of you and your husband's relationship, it is not. Once hubby agrees (make it someplace that would peak his interest), then explaining it to MIL should be a breeze..."Oh, I wanted to let you know before you made any plans over the summer this year, we're taking a trip to ________ with the kids. I know you enjoy having us and we enjoy your company as well...maybe next time. Thank you for offering."

Your Response

Well your husband seems to WANT to go.. he is telling you that he has no problem with it because it is a "free" place to go each year. Maybe if your husband really wants to go this upcoming year, you should express that you would rather save up and go somewhere with just your family... if he persists on your MIL's timeshare than ONLY agree IF you are able to vacation with your kids while he does all the work (buying, preparing and cleaning up the food).... THEN maybe he will decide to vacation somewhere else OR TRY to do it all himself and realize that the week vacation at the timeshare is not worth all the work -- it is vacation right?? Just do the whole reverse psychology thing and hopefully it works!!!